I wrote this short reminiscence of music in Chapel Hill for their website:

Growing up in Chapel Hill in the 80s and 90s.Chapel Hill is well known for its combination of cosmopolitan intellectual life and laid-back, small-town Southern charm. These qualities certainly characterized the musical world I grew up in there during the 80’s and 90’s and created a culture of openness and curiosity in the arts. Between Suzuki group lessons, seasonal guest teachers and conventions, youth orchestras, and summercamps, the opportunities to play violin were considerable. Additionally, good local musicians of all stripes were friendly and accessible, authentic bluegrass jam sessions were held out in Orange County (if you could find them), and most Cat’s Cradle shows were all ages.

I am especially grateful for the 13-plus years I got to study violin with Mary Frances Boyce. She took my ideas seriously from a very young age and always encouraged me to focus on whatever most interested me, whether it was composition, music history, or playing in a rock band. When I left Chapel Hill to study at a conservatory, I met many musicians whose talent and technique far surpassed my own but very few who had as broad musical experience or as much enthusiasm for pursuing their own creative vision—two traits especially cultivated by the Chapel Hill music scene.

Friday, June 7, 2013

My short opera – complete with subtitling – is now up on youtube!

It is scene from Stephen Crane's short story "The Open Boat" which recounts his own personal experience as a survivor of a shipwreck off the coast of Florida in 1897. I adapted the libretto from the story and incorporated several of his poems into the scene as well.

The performance is from this May in Paragraph Gallery in Kansas City. It features three truly wonderful singers: Stacey Stofferahn, Jessica Salley, and Anna Louise Hoard as well as stage and art direction from Lisa Cordes and Alison Heryer. Produced by Black House, conducted by John Chittum, with audio and recording by KcEMA.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Skip Distance is a new film by local filmmakers Josh Comninellis and Mallory Edson. The film features my song, "Lullaby" performed by myself and Kristin Hamilton of Under the Big Oak Tree. It will premier at the Plaza 8 in St. Joe May 23rd and then make the festival rounds.

This photo is from the dress rehearsal of my opera scene — "A Night on the Sea" from The Open Boat. The scene is based on the 1897 Stephen Crane story of the same name, and I created the libretto from that story as well as Crane's poetry. This was presented in two sold out shows this past weekend as part of Rites of Being, a collaboration of Kansas City musicians and artists to produce 6 new opera scenes. The amazing sopranos pictured are Stacey Stofferahn, Jessica Salley, and Anna Louise Hoard. Alison Heryer did Art Direction and Lisa Cordes did Production and Stage Direction. Hunter Long of Blackhouse Collective produced the whole thing with funding from several arts institutions. John Chittum conducted an ensemble made up of the composers and a handful of ringers. I even got to play violin in the ensemble. It was exciting to be a part of an event with so much buzz around the area and wonderful to see my opera produced. This was a project I'd been imagining for a few years now.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

I've got a couple o' free tix to this if any of ya'll want to check it out (and vote for MEEEEEEE!). Should be a blast.

(Alternate hook: Do you love the NCAA basketball tournament? Do you love contemporary chamber music? If you answered "yes" to either, then, please, read on...)

The Green Hornet Project is hosting the Tosca Quartet for an event like none I've ever hear of before. 16 composers have entered, one will "win" based on audience voting. They've formed a single-elimination bracket and will play a minute of each piece in the first round, 2 minutes in the second, and so on, until there is a single champion. Crazy! My piece, "Thunderstorm over I-80 in the plains" is a dark horse candidate...